1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to railroad switch equipment and, more particularly, to a connection lug for use between a railroad switch machine and componentry extending to the movable tracks of a railroad switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous different types of railroad switch equipment are known and understood in the railroad arts. It is generally understood that a railroad switch apparatus is employed to switch a train from a first set of railroad tracks onto a second set of railroad tracks. Such a railroad switch apparatus typically includes a pair of movable rails and a switch machine, and additionally includes assorted connective hardware that extends between the movable rails and the switch machine for various purposes. The switch machine provides the forces necessary to move the movable rails between a first position and a second position and to lock the movable rails in the first and second positions.
It also known that railroad equipment including railroad switch apparatuses are typically subjected to extreme punishment due to the substantial forces and vibrations transmitted from passing railroad trains, as well as severe environmental conditions including heat, snow, and ice. Railroad equipment thus is configured generally to resist the effects of such harsh conditions, and rather to perform reliably under such conditions.
It is further known that railroad tracks and other related equipment extend across many remote regions, and that trains travel on such remote tracks at all hours of the day and night. As such, railroad personnel must be available to inspect and, if necessary, repair railroad equipment at numerous remote locations at any hour. The skill level of railroad maintenance personnel varies greatly. As such, railroad equipment typically is of a relatively simple configuration that can be repaired with a minimal number of tools in order to limit the number of potential points of failure of such railroad equipment and to facilitate repair by virtually any railroad personnel no matter the skill level or the quantity of tools available to such personnel.
In order to ensure the proper functioning of railroad switch apparatuses in all types of weather conditions and to resist breakage and maladjustment of such switch apparatuses, the connective hardware that extends between a switch machine and a pair of movable rails has typically included connecting rods that have been substantially rigidly connected with function rods that are part of the switch machine and that are movable with respect to other parts of the switch machine. While such rigid connections generally enhance the reliability of railroad switch apparatuses, such rigid connections nevertheless increase the difficulty and expense of installing and maintaining railroad equipment due to the degree of alignment that must be attained between the switch machine and the movable tracks.
During installation and replacement of previously known railroad switch apparatuses, special care was required to align the switch machine with the movable tracks in order to ensure that the connective hardware that would be rigidly connected between the switch machine and the movable tracks would be properly connected, and that such connective hardware would operate properly without the components thereof or the movable tracks binding during operation. Often such previously known switch machines were mounted onto the wooden ties to which the tracks were mounted, with the base of the switch machine needing to be aligned either flush with the lower surfaces of the tracks or at a given vertical distance from such lower surfaces. Such alignment typically was burdensome and costly to achieve during initial construction, and is particularly difficult and time consuming after repair or replacement of a switch machine due to the gradual deterioration of railroad ties and the difficulty of reliably employing such ties to align a switch machine with railroad tracks. It thus has been desired to provide an improved structure that facilitates installation of a switch machine and connection thereof with the movable tracks of a railroad switch apparatus while maintaining the necessary reliability and resistance to weather conditions of the switch apparatus.
A railroad switch apparatus and its lugs advantageously provides these and other benefits. An improved railroad switch apparatus includes a switch machine, a locking system lug, a detection system lug, a lock rod connecting rod, and a point detector connecting rod. The lock rod connecting rod and the point detector connecting rod are connected with a pair of movable rails of the railroad switch apparatus. The locking system lug is mounted on a pair of lock rods of the switch machine, and the detection system lug is mounted on a point detector rod of the switch machine. The locking system lug advantageously includes a groove that receives the lock rod connecting rod that permits the lock rod connecting rod to pivot slightly with respect to the locking system lug while remaining securely connected thereto. Similarly, the detection system lug includes a groove that receives the point detector connecting rod and that permits the point detector connecting rod to pivot somewhat with respect to the detection system lug while remaining securely mounted thereto. The locking system lug and the detection system lug each include a pair of opposed convex retention surfaces formed on the groove thereof.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved lug that permits a connecting rod mounted thereon to pivot somewhat with respect thereto while remaining securely mounted thereon.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide such a lug in the form of a locking system lug or a detection system lug that can be connected with a lock rod connecting rod or a point detector connecting rod, respectively.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved lug for use in a railroad switch apparatus, with the lug being formed to include a groove having a pair of opposed convex retention surfaces.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a locking system lug and a detection system lug that substantially alleviate the need for precise alignment of a switch machine with the rails of a railroad switch apparatus.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a railroad switch apparatus that is relatively easier to install and maintain than previously known railroad switch apparatuses.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved lug that can be retrofitted to existing railroad switch apparatuses.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved railroad switch apparatus including at least one of a locking system lug and a detection system lug that connect between a switch machine and connecting rod, with the lug permitting the connecting rod to pivot slightly with respect to the lug.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a lug, the lug being structured to connect a function rod of a railroad switch machine with a connecting rod, the connecting rod being operatively connected with a movable railroad track, in which the general nature of the lug can be stated as including a first mount, the first mount being structured to be connected with the function rod, a second mount, the second mount being structured to be connected with the connecting rod, the lug being formed to include a slot, the second mount being disposed at least partially in the slot, the slot including at least a first retention surface, the at least first retention surface being convex, and the at least first retention surface being structured to engage the connecting rod.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a combination the general nature of which can be stated as including a connecting rod, the connecting rod being structured to be operatively connected with a movable railroad track, and a lug, the lug including a first mount, the first mount being structured to be connected with a function rod of a railroad switch machine, the lug including a second mount, the lug being formed to include a slot, the slot including at least a first retention surface, the at least first retention surface being convex, the second mount being disposed in the slot, the connecting rod being disposed on the second mount, and the connecting rod being pivotable with respect to the lug.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a combination, the general nature of which can be stated as including a connecting rod, the connecting rod being structured to be operatively connected with a movable railroad track, a function rod, the function rod being structured to be a component of a railroad switch machine, and a lug, the lug including a first mount, the function rod being attached to the first mount, the lug including a second mount, the connecting rod being disposed on the second mount, the lug being formed to include a slot, the slot including at least a first retention surface, the at least first retention surface being convex, and the second mount being disposed in the slot.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a combination, the general nature of which can be stated as including a connecting rod, the connecting rod being structured to be operatively connected with a movable railroad track, and a lug, the lug including a first mount, the first mount being structured to be connected with a function rod of a railroad switch machine, the lug including a second mount, the lug being formed to include a slot, the second mount being disposed in the slot, the slot including at least a first retention surface, the connecting rod including at least a first engagement surface, at least one of the at least first retention surface and the at least first engagement surface being convex, the connecting rod being disposed on the second mount, the at least first retention surface and the at least first engagement surface being engaged with one another, and the connecting rod being pivotable with respect to the lug.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a railroad switch apparatus, the general nature of which can be stated as including a switch machine, the switch machine including a function rod, at least a first movable rail, a connecting rod, the connecting rod and the at least first movable rail being operatively connected with one another, a lug, the function rod being connected with the lug, the connecting rod being connected with the lug, the lug including a first mount, the lug including a second mount, the lug being formed to include a slot, the second mount being disposed in the slot, the slot including at least a first retention surface, the connecting rod including at least a first engagement surface, at least one of the at least first retention surface and the at least first engagement surface being convex, the connecting rod being disposed on the second mount, the at least first retention surface and the at least first engagement surface being engaged with one another, and the connecting rod being pivotable with respect to the lug.